Secluded Paradise

"Salud!"

In a restaurant with a breathtaking view, three italians and two Britons raised their glasses together. Their cups held a golden liquor like Felix Felicis.

It was not French champagne, but a wine once reserved for the Doges of Venice. It was somewhat dry, yet carried a rich aroma of fruit and spices.

Ombra placed steamed scallops, sweet shrimp, seafood risotto, and grilled flounder on the table. To enhance the artistic presentation, he had even set out a vase with a white magnolia. If Severus's ugly expression was ignored, this dinner was "perfect."

No matter how beautiful a spinning dance was, even if it brought divine revelation, one would still feel dizzy after stopping.

Ghosts might have escaped the prison of their bodies, but Myrtle was not happy at all. She still preferred boys' "warm bodies."

The reason an anti-Protestant alliance nearly formed in 1689 was mainly because Protestants valued profit too highly. While everyone was joining forces against the Ottoman Empire, the "royal pirates" were plundering merchant ships from Spain and other nations. Such behavior naturally provoked public outrage and invited a siege.

Once glory was gone, "Splendid Isolation" was nothing but isolation. Britain's diplomacy had failed badly. Friends brought together by profit would eventually betray one another for greater profit.

During the religious trials, the Republic of Venice still stood against the Holy See and the Habsburg dynasty. They did not openly resist, but followed their usual rules: groups of three, endless delays, dragging things out until not a single "witch" was burned at the stake. That was why so many heretics fled to Venice for refuge.

Being a heretic was not about being unconventional to attract attention; it was about not blindly following the crowd. Everyone visited famous sights in travel magazines exactly as instructed, which